Dollars and Cells: An Analysis of Governor Pataki's Sentencing Reforms and Proposals

• NCJ Number: 173523
• Author(s): C M Abate
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 25 pages
• Sale Source: New York State
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

In December 1995, Governor Pataki announced plans to build three 1,500-bed maximum security prisons. This paper claims that new prison beds and proposed sentencing and prison reforms will not be enough to establish rational criminal justice policy in New York State. The report recommends the following: (1) New York State must provide members of the State Legislature and the public with a full, detailed accounting of the fiscal impact of sentencing decisions before major sentencing reforms are enacted; (2) full public input and debate; (3) increased investment in community corrections; (4) full funding of State aid to localities for probation services; Governor Pataki's decision to reduce this aid from 36 percent to 25 percent is penny-wise and pound-foolish, especially when combined with significant cuts to Alternatives to Incarceration programs; and (5) Create a Criminal Justice Advisory Review Panel to ensure that sound planning occurs before important criminal justice policy and budget decisions are made. Figures, appendixes